Student Support
We partner with schools to support students on a wide range of concerns, including helping students access and navigate different resources available on and off campus. We also support students who are going through the conduct process and offer them guidance when they have been separated from the University. We collaborate with University partners in developing and providing comprehensive programming to all students. Our aim is to help students identify their needs and the appropriate campus and community resources to address those needs.
Common Topics for Student Support Meetings:
- Basic Needs Support
- Housing Insecurity
- Food Insecurity
- Goal Setting
- Resource Navigation
- On Campus Resources
- Off Campus Resources
Please reach out to [email protected] if you have any questions. You can also submit a report via the Student Support Referral Form.
Frequently Asked Questions
Staff, faculty, students, and non-affiliates can submit referrals.
You can refer yourself or someone you know by completing the Student Support Referral Form or by emailing us directly at [email protected].
We understand that outreach from our office can bring forward a number of questions, concerns, or reactions. Your Student Support Manager will ask you to provide availability and inquire if you prefer an in-person or virtual meeting.
Your Student Support Manager will send you a link to the Student Information Form and ask that you complete it prior to the meeting. This form will help guide your meeting and identify other areas where you can work together. If you have questions or need assistance, you can always contact your Student Support Manager.
We are a private resource. Our services are not confidential. This means that Student Support Managers share students’ information when necessary in order to connect them to resources or to ensure community safety. Student Support Managers may collaborate with your School, including Deans and Wellness & Support staff, to better understand how to meet your needs. As mandated reporters, Student Support Managers are required to report any disclosures of suicidal or homicidal ideation, gender based misconduct, harassment, or discrimination to the University.
Student Support Managers are here to support you, but they are not a substitute for a licensed mental health provider. Counseling is available to students through Columbia Health (Morningside and Manhattanville) and Student Health on Haven (CUIMC).
For a full list of the confidential on-campus resources, go to our Resource Directory.
Student Support is a voluntary service. CSSI’s student-centered approach focuses on supporting and empowering students to advocate for their needs, so students are able to determine their preferred level of engagement with the Student Support team.
If you are not interested in meeting, that is okay! Please respond to the Student Support Manager who reached out to you to decline the meeting. You are welcome to reach out again at any point in the future. We are a partner in your Columbia journey, and you can decide the extent of what you share and how you engage with our office.
During the meeting, we will review the privacy standards and your completed Student Information Form. During the meeting, we will work together to create a plan to support you in achieving your academic and student life goals.. By the end of the meeting, your Student Support Manager will provide you with on and off campus referrals and resources to support your continuing success.
We practice non-clinical case management. This can include conducting needs assessments, creating care plans to outline goals, and making referrals to resources at Columbia and in the neighboring community. Student Support Managers are trained in motivational interviewing and strengths-based interventions.
Clinical Case Managers assist students in navigating their physical and mental health care. This includes but is not limited to engaging with students who are being discharged after inpatient hospitalization, helping students understand physical and mental health resources, coordinating appointments and treatment plans, psychoeducation, and crisis intervention. To be connected to a clinical case manager, please contact Alice Health.